Indian archbishop demands safety for train travelers ‎

After a train accident killed at least 39 people in a southern Indian state Saturday night, an Indian archbishop has demanded that both the Indian federal and state governments focus on the safety of travelers.   "It is high time that the governments put the safety and security of its citizens above short-term political and other gains," Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi said in a statement following the Jan. 22 derailment of the Hirakhand Express in Vizianagram district of Andhra Pradesh state.  The train plying from Jagdalpur to Bhubaneswar derailed at about 11:20 pm near Kuneri station, about 30 km from the town of Rayagada.

Expressing anguish at the frequent rail accidents, Archbishop Couto of the Indian capital, said that the government and railway officials seem to ignore and brush aside safety recommendations for train passengers.  The Indian government is pushing hard to introduce high-speed bullet trains spending millions of rupees but "is reluctant to strengthen the existing railway tracks and failing to implement the recommendations on safety and security of passengers," the prelate said.

Since last year, the country has witnessed several big and small train accidents. In November, in northern Uttar Pradesh state, 147 people died when an express train derailed. In December in the same state, another 63 people died when 14 coaches of another express train derailed.  (Source: UCAN)